Cassiobury Park - 17.6.10

The highlight of the morning in the park was that of a Little Owl sitting in its usual tree.

Later in the day a group of 4 Ring-Necked Parakeets were seen in Oxhey with at least 2 of them looking like young birds.

Mega Marmora's Hit - 12.6.10

The quickly taken photos of the Marmora's Warbler.

After last weekends dip in South Wales i'd promised to go back if it was still there on the Friday and luckily it was. This time though I left earlier (4.45am!!) and again set off down the M4. Just after 7am I arrived on site and again wastold it was still around. A nervous 20 minute wait was finally rewarded with cracking views of my first ever MARMORA'S WARBLER at it sang from a small Hawthorn bush. Unfortunately it was very mobile and getting a photo was proving tricky. After 40 minutes of on/off viewing it decided to sit in a small Gorse bush just 10ft away to sing and I managed to grab to 2 photos before it flew. They wont win any prizes though!!

KGVPF - 11.6.10

While doing the cricket at KGV playing fields in West Watford this morning 2 Black-Headed Gulls flew over which are probably the earliest returning birds i've seen. A Skylark was singing somewhere between me and Hampermill Lake but the best bird was a Hobby that flew thru around 10am.

Mega Marmora's Miss - 6.6.10

Tree Pipit

After driving back from Norfolk on the Saturday I could have done with a rest but unfortunately during the holiday a Marmora's Warbler had been found in Gwent so off I went and just under 3 hours later I was on site with people saying it's still there and showing. Unfortunately for me it had flown 4 minutes before I arrived at the viewing area and for the next 2 hours it went missing. 3pm arrived and I had to set off home but 30 minutes back on the road it returned but I couldn't turn round and go back.

If it's still there i'll be going back on Saturday!

Other birds seen were a couple of male Whinchats, Tree Pipit, Cuckoo and 4 Ravens that flew through.

Norfolk Holiday 29.5 - 5.6.10

Fulmar at Cromer

A family holiday in Norfolk was rather devoid of time for birding due to small kids to occupy!!

3 Bar-Headed Geese were seen while just off the A47 on the journey up.

On the 2nd June we visited Walcott where a Lesser Whitethroat was heard and 3 Sandwich Terns were fishing offshore. Another flying highlight was a Eurofighter that flew over as i'd never seen one before!

The day after I popped into my Norfolk local patch of Winterton Dunes. A Cuckoo was the first bird of the visit followed by 2 Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and a Yellowhammer. Offshore 2 Fulmars flew North and 20+ Little Terns were fishing. Later we went to Cromer for a few hours with more Fulmars being seen and on the way home a Common Crane flew over Waxham.

On the 4th I visited Breydon Water hoping to see a Little Stint that had been present for a few days but it wasn't seen. A Little Egret and 2 Avocet were seen though.